The Government's speed camera strategy was dealt a blow yesterday after new figures showed the number of people killed on the country's roads is increasing.

Statistics, covering the 12 months to Sept 30 of last year showed a one per cent rise in fatalities with 3,210 deaths. That compares with 3,177 for the same period in 2005.

"Road deaths should not be rising," said Paul Smith, the founder of the group Safe Speed, which has called for the speed camera strategy to be scrapped. "But speed cameras and 'speed kills' policies are badly affecting driver skills and especially driver attitudes, " he added.

But in defending the use of cameras, a Department for Transport spokesman said: "These are one off quarterly provisional statistics.

"These things sometimes go up and sometimes go down. We don't know if they are anything to do with cameras, which still play an essential role in maintaining safety."